Nine people have applied to contest the June 16 by-election in Bangkok's Constituency 12, the Don Muang area, on the first day of candidacy registration.
Pheu Thai candidate Yuranunt Pamornmontri, left, shakes hands with Democrat candidate Tankhun Jitt-itsara as they register their candidacies for the June 16 Don Muang by-election at the district office yesterday. THITI WANNAMONTHA
The nine candidates were each given a number, to be used in the drawing of lots for ballot papers.
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Candidacy registration will continue until June 1.
The Election Commission called the June 16 by-election after Karun Hosakul of the Pheu Thai Party was disqualified by the Supreme Court's Election Cases Division for breaking election law during the 2011 general election.
Pheu Thai's Yuranunt Pamornmontri said he is happy he is candidate No.9 as it is an auspicious number.
The Democrats' Tankhun Jitt-itsara said No.8 stood for infinity, representing his untiring work for the people.
However, he admitted his party may not be very popular with voters in military bases. Don Muang has a large pool of air force and army households.
Mr Tankhun also referred to what he called an unusually high disbursement of state funds under the government's small and medium enterprises development project at eight communities in the constituency.
Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Democrat MPs for Bangkok would help Mr Tankhun campaign. He admitted the Democrat candidate is the underdog in the Don Muang constituency.
Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, a core Pheu Thai figure, yesterday offered Mr Yuranunt her moral support. She also downplayed Mr Tankhun's chances.
She said the Democrat candidate may have had his domicile registered in the constituency. However, he has never been an MP there and so has no edge over his rivals in terms of a strong personal connection to the locality.
The nine candidates who registered yesterday are:
Puthachart Chuayruam of the Liberal Party (1); Paengsri Wicharn of the New Democracy Party (2); Veerapol Suthipornpalangkura of the Tuang Kuen Puen Pa (Thai Forest Land Reclamation) Party (3); Pathanapong Kasemwan of the Palang Ngan Thai (Thai Energy) Party (4); Noppadol Chairithidej of the Chart Samakki Party (5); Thanawich Palakawong Na Ayutthaya of the Peau Pan Din Party (6); Withaya Raksathip of the Palang Sahakorn Party (7); Mr Tankhun of the Democrat Party (8); and Mr Yuranunt of the Pheu Thai Party (9).